RoRec Projects

At the beginning of July, the Romanian Association for Recycling RoRec ran an important environment project in Mărginimea Sibiului, with the motto ‘We support and protect Romanian traditions and values’.

The environment project ran by the RoRec Association, in partnership with the Gura Rîului Townhall, had two aims. ‘We went there to help the local people get rid of the old or broken equipment in a responsible manner, in order to protect the environment and the wonderful landscape of the area,’ said Andreea Idriceanu, RoRec Communication manager. ‘For three days, the RoRec teams could be found in 10 communes and villages in the Mărginime, collecting waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), according to a carefully planned schedule and itinerary. The campaign proved to be really necessary, as more than 400 people handed over more than 8 tons of WEEE.

The second part was an environment protection information and awareness-raising campaign, at the time of the ‘Rhododendron Festival’, one of the best-loved local traditions festivals.’
This festival was born in 2004, as the people of Gura Rîului wished to show that rural tourism is closely linked to preserving and promoting local traditions. It is organised every year, on the first week-end after St Peter and Paul’s Day, when the rhododendrons fill the cirque glacier of Iezerele Cindrelului with shades of pink and sweet scents. The festival wishes to present a traditional village fête and all the essential features of pastoral life, because this celebration is closely connected to shepherds’ life in Mărginimea Sibiului.

However, there is a less pleasant side of any such event, and that is the resulting amount of waste. The Romanian Association for Recycling RoRec decided to support the organisers of the festival by launching an environment campaign that would help the participants keep the festival site clean.

‘We meant to minimise the impact that waste generated on such events can have on the ecosystem in Mărginimea Sibiului. We created an information and awareness-raising campaign, dedicated to the festival participants, so that they would not throw rubbish on pastures and meadows or in the Cibin river,’ said Mr. Liviu Popeneciu, president of the RoRec Association. ‘Some of our most important values here in Romania are the traditions, landscapes and the beautiful nature that we inherited from our ancestors. We have accepted to protect them, but we cannot do this without the help of the people who take part in such events. And they cannot take such steps without support from those whose concern is to protect the environment,’ he concluded.

The action’s ‘spokespeople’ were the RoRec Association’s volunteers patrol, who invited the participants at the ‘Rhododendron Festival’ to keep clean the place they enjoyed so much for this couple of days. The RoRec patrol was made up of current and former pupils of the ‘Aurel Decei’ School in Gura Rîului. They handed out materials (biodegradable bags, plastic gloves, eco ash-trays), so that the guests could collect and bring the waste to the place where it belongs, meaning the places provided by the townhall to avoid rubbish being left lying around just anywhere. The Bioplastic Association and Petrom also joined forces with the RoRec Association and the Gura Rîului Townhall.

The initiative was highly appreciated by the participants, because when ten nice teenagers kindly ask you to keep their ‘home’ clean and offer you the materials to do this, there is no reason to say no. The way they were treated, praised and congratulated, was a strong incentive for them to give their best and work tirelessly for two days, almost without break, always with a smile on their face, a sparkle in their eyes and the enthusiasm only children and teenagers have.

‘Our mission is to oppose the idea that a child must be turned into a dustman and pick up the rubbish that others have thrown away. On the other hand, we believe that you cannot say no when a child asks you to keep the environment clean and to be careful what you leave behind. Children can become models for the grown-ups when it comes to protecting the environment where they will live,’ said Andreea Idriceanu. ‘We are glad that the adults understood and supported the children’s efforts and that those present at the festival can spread our message, because the greatest harm we can bring to places as Gura Rîului is to leave around, irresponsibly, all sorts of waste.’